Die casting machine



Feb. 15, 1966 w, E. THOMPSON 3,234,605

DIE CASTING MACHINE Feb. 15, 1966 w. E. THOMPSON 3,234,605

DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Deo. 5, 1962 5 Sheets-Shea?l 2 INVENTOR.

Feb. 15, 1966 w. E. THOMPSON 3,234,605

DIE CASTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed Deo. 5, 1962 I l 1N VENTOR. ZM/am 75cm/uson United States Patent O 3,234,605 e DIE CASTING MACHINE William E. Thompson, Anderson, Ind., assignor .to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,771 8 Claims. (Cl. 22-70) This invention relates generally to die casting machines of the hot chamber type and more particularly to irnprovements in the means for supporting the pressure chamber and gooseneck unit thereof in an operating position.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved means for supporting the pressure cylinder and gooseneck unit of a hot chamber die `casting machine of the horizontally moving die type and maintaining the gooseneck thereof in sealing contact and in proper alignment with the nozzle which communicates with the sprue of the stationary die. It is a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement for supporting the pressure cylinder and gooseneck in relation to the nozzle and stationary die member which involves a single thrust means axially aligned with the nozzle and gooseneck oritice for urging the gooseneck orifice into sealing contact with the nozzle and which includes a means whereby the thrust pressure is applied yieldingly so that allowance iS made for the thermal expansion of the component parts of the apparatus during the operation thereof.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by means including an A-frarne for supporting the pressure chamber and gooseneck which is slidably mounted on a pair of spaced rods located on opposite sides of the pressure cylinder and fastened to the stationary die support member and a bearing arrangement associated with one of the rods on which the A-framerides whereby a small lateral transverse movement of the A-frame is permitted. A single thrust screw means supported on a yoke attached to the rods subjects the pressure chamber and gooseneck to a pressure longitudinally of the rods and toward the stationary die along an axis along which the stationary die sprue, the nozzle and gooseneck nozzle are aligned. The thrust screw means includes a compression spring portion whereby the thrust is applied yieldingly to allow for a movement of the A-frame along the supporting rods to allow for the thermal expansion of the various component parts of the apparatus during operation thereof. The means for supporting the A-frame on the supporting rods in effect permits a limited universal movement of the A-frame in a horizontal plane so that a flexing of one rod has no binding effect on the other and the screw means may exert pressure on the gooseneck orifice and nozzle in proper alignment.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention, reference being had to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is an elevation view partly in cross section of a die casting machine embodying the invention, the dies being shown in a closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a seal associated with a cooling chamber in which the connecting rod of the shot piston operates;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan View in partial cross section taken along line 4--4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the clamp means of FIGURE 5 for connecting the shot sleeve piston to its connecting rod.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view in partial cross secice tion showing a replaceable plunger connecting rod cooling chamber.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the apparatus includes a base 10 extending beneath the entire die casting machine. Extending from and rigidly secured to the base 10 is a stationary die support 12 which has a plurality of rods 14, four in number, rigidly attached thereto and extending in the direction of the movable die support member 16. These rods are fastened to a stationary support member (not shown) at their opposite ends in a conventional manner. The movable die support or platen 16 is supported by the rods 14 and isvreciprocably movable toward the stationary die support 12. The stationary die'12 carries the cover die 18 fastened thereto by clamps 20. The movable die 16 carries an ejector die 22 fastened thereto by means of the clamps 24. The movable die support 16 carries an ejector bar arrangement 26 which functions in a well known manner. As in conventional machines of this type the movable die support member 16 is attached toa power means through a toggle arrangement whereby the ejector die 22 may be moved into contact with and away from the cover die 18 in a Well known manner. Further conventional features of the apparatus include a cone-shaped opening 28 through the stationary die support 12 which extends into the cover die 18 and exposes a sprue 30 through which an injection of molten metal is made into the die cavity.

On the rear side of the stationary support 12 and resting upon the base 10 is a furnace 32 lined with a suitable refractory material 34. A melting pot 36 is secured within the furnace 32 and heat is supplied thereto by a conventional burner 38 and blower 40. Disposed within the melting pot 36 and submerged in the molten metal 42 is a pressure cylinder 44 which has integrally formed therewith the conventional gooseneck 46 which forms a restricted conduit to the pressure cylinder 44. The gooseneck 46 tightly engages a nozzle 48 extending through the opening 28 of the stationary die to the sprue 49 of the cover die through a seat 50 adapted to provide a tight sealing fit between the gooseneck 46 and the nozzle 48.

As previously indicated, an important aspect of this invention is the means for supporting the pressure cylinder 44 and holding the gooseneck 46 in fluid-tight engagement with the nozzle 48 under the operating conditions of temperature and pressure involved in the die casting operation. The means for supporting the pressure cylinder 44 and the gooseneck 46 includes a pair of spaced rods 52 and 54 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 which are bolted to the stationary die support 12 by means of brackets 56 and S8. A relatively heavy support structure 60 generally in the form of the letter A, hereinafter referred to as the A-frame, is provided with cylindrical openings 62 and 64 therethrough which receive therein the rods 54 and 52 respectively as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. One rod 54 is cylindrical and the -opening 62 in the A- frame is also cylindrical but of somewhat greater diameter to accommodate the sleeve bearing 63 therebetween. On the other hand, the other rod 52 is provided with horizontal upper and lower flat sides 66 and 68 respectively. Complementary upper and lower bearing inserts and 72 respectively are provided in the opening 64. The lower flat portion of the insert 60 snugly engages the upper flat portions of the rod 52 and similarly the upper -at portion of the insert 68 snugly engages the lower flat portion of the rod 52. The inserts 70 and 72 are brazed or otherwise secured to the walls of the opening 64 so that they are disposed vertically with respect to one another'as shown in FIGURE 2 andare firmly fixed with respect to the A-frame. It will readily be apparent that with this supporting arrangement the A-frame 60 may be readily moved longitudinally along the rods 52 and 54. However, by reason of the flat portions 66 and 68 of the rod S2 and the cooperating bearing members 70 and 72, the A-frame at this'point is maintained' in a' fixed vertical position. However, because the A-frame is slidable relative to the rods 52 and 54, and because the A-frame is allowed a limited transverse movementas permitted' by the spaces 65 between the A-frarne and the rod`52, the two rods 52 and 54 may to a limited extent flex laterallyv independently of each other Without causing one rod to bind or otherwise conflict with the other in the support of the A-frame whereby an optimum alignment of the A-frame may be obtained' under operating conditions.

The A-frame 60 as best seen in FIGURE 2 carries at the under' side thereof the pressure chamber 44. To this end the pressure chamber includes the hanged portions 74 which are clamped between an extending ridge 76 of the A-frame and the hardened metal wear plates 79 by means' ofthe bolts 7s. y

The pressure cylinder 44 in itself is more or less of conventional construction and as shown in FIGURES l and 2 it includes a cylindrical chamber having a liner 80 therein, a shot piston 82l reciprocable therein and a gooseneck portion 46 extending from the base ofthe cylinder to a location above the molten metal where' the orifice 50v thereof may be alignedv with the nozle 48. Openings 84 as Yshown in FIGURE 2 into the pressure cylinder'are provided so that when the piston is in a raised position as-shown in FIGURE 2, molten metal will' enter the shot cylinder by force of gravity. In the operation of the apparatus after the molten' metal has flowed i'nto the shotA cylinder, the piston 82 is brought forcibly down- Wardly whereby the ports 84' are` closed bythe piston and theV molten metal is forced into the g'ooseneck through the restricted passage 47 thereof andy hence onto the nozzle 48 and thence to the die cavity' (not shown) of the closed dies 18 and'22.

A further important aspect of the invention resides-in the provision of centrally disposed means for yieldingly urging the' A-frame` 60 longitudinally along a li'ne perpendicular to' the nozzle 48 and the orifice ormouth 5'0I of the gooseneck. To this end, a yoke 86 is bolted to the ends of the rods 52 and 54. Formed integrally with the A-frame 60 is a cylinder 88 which contains a compression spring, preferably a plurality of Belleville-type springs' 90 and a piston 92 in engagement with the Belleville springs 90. The piston 92 is attached to a connecting rod 94 which has a portion 96 threadably held within the yoke 86.` As may best be seen in FIGURE l, the threadably adjustable connecting rod 94, the piston 92, the Belleville springs 90, the mouth 50 of the gooseneck 46, the nozzle 48 and the mouth of the die sprue 30 are all disposed along a line preferably horizontal to the base 10 of the apparatus. It is readily apparent' that pressure imposed by the piston 92 against the Belleville springs 90 will constantly urge the mouth of the gooseneck 50 against the nozzle 481 The self-adjustingv character ofthe A- frame 60 permits this alignment to'be readily maintained even though due to differences in the temperature of the apparatus will cause the metal of the Idie apparatus to expand. The Belleville springs 90 make the pressure imposed by the piston 92 lto be of a yieldable character to accommodate expansion of the various parts of the apparatus. Other yieldable centrally disposed means for urging the A-frame 60 longitudinally along the line perpendicular to the nozzle 48 may be employed in place of the Belleville springs 90, the piston 92 and the connecting rodv 94. For example, the Belleville springs 90 may be eliminated, the rod 94 may be elongated to permit the piston to reach the base of the cylinder and the threads on the connecting rod portion 96 may be eliminated so that this rod is slidable with respect lto the yoke. The outer end may be connected to the 'piston of a hydraulic cylinder attached to the yoke 86. A hydraulic pressure of about 1200 p.s.i. is applied to exert a constant force against the hydraulic piston whereby the arrangearrangement described above'.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2 the shot piston 82 is attached to a connecting rod 98 by means of a special connector 100 to be hereinafter described more fully. The connecting rod 98 is in turn attached to a hydraulic means of a conventional type. This hydraulic means as shown inFIGURES 1 and 2 is located in the upper portion of the A-frame 60 andA accordingly moves along with the A- frarne so that alignment of the' connecting rodp90 and the piston 82 is not upset due to a movement of the pressure cylinder 44 and gooseneck 46.

Another feature' of the invention is the speciali clamp or coupling 100 best'. shown inv FIGURES 2, 5 an'd 6. The' clamp consists of a back half 102 and a' front 103 consisting of an upper section 104 and' a lower section 106. The back half 102 has cut in the upper part thereof a recess 10S for` receiving one half of the bottom end of the connecting rod' 98' havin'glr the annular groove 99 provided therein. The upper section 10`4' of the front half of the coupling' similarly has 'a recess 107 cut therein to receive thev other' half of the connecting rod end 98. When' assembled the connecting rodi end 93 is inserted in the' recess' 105 andi the upper section of the' front half 103 is bolted to the' back half 102 by means of the bolts 108.

The lower portiony of the back half 1'02v ha's a partially cylindrical recessE leading to a' partially cylindrical recess 112 of greater diameter'- whichf in turn leads to a partially cylindrical' recessy 114" of still larger diameter. The 'recess 110' is cutl to snugly receive the shot piston connecting' rod 82 and' the' cylindrical portion 112 is cut to' snug-ly receive the enlarged cylindrical head'l 11:6 of the shot piston connecting rod.`

The lower section' 106 isvv hinged to the back half 102 bythe integrally formed hinge means indicated generally as numeral 118. Within' the lower half 106' there is provided sequential cylindrical recesses' 120, 1'22 an'd 124 corresponding respectively in configuration to the back half recess'e`s'110', 112 and' 114.` Within the recess 124 there i's positioned aA cylindrical block 1'26 which will ll the cylindrical space formed' by the' recesses 1141 and 124 when the lower half 106 isv moved into a closed position with respect to the back section 102 as shown in FIG- URE l to' prevent any vertical movement of the head 116 withrespect to the" coupling. A latch means 128 is provided to' maintain the coupling in4 a closed position.

l The couplingl described above serves an important function in theirs'tallatio'n of the machine' since as may be observedin- FIGURE 2l, when the lower portion 106 of the coupling isv opened and the'c'ylindrical block 126 is therefore' removed from' the recess' 114, the piston' rod head 11'6 maybe raised a suicient 'distance to permit the piston 82' to clear the cylinder liner 80 and permit its removal from the' apparatns. Inv the' installation o'f the piston, on the other hand, the' piston' may be readily inserted into the cylinder and the connecting rod head 116v inserted in the enlarged recess 114 and in this position the alignment of the piston with respect to the coupling 100 may be readily observed.A

Another important function of the coupling 100 as is apparent in FIGURESZ, 3, 5 and 6 is the provision of the horizontally extending wing projections 130 and 132 which, as best shown' in FIGURES 2, 5v and 6, may be rotated to engage the abutments 13'4 and 136 whereby the shot plunger is mechanically locked in a retracted or upward position as is shown in FIGURE 2. As shown in FIGURE 5', thelaterally extending portions 134 and 136 are provided on two opposite sides only of the A- frame and when the coupling is in a closed position, the lateral projections 130 and 132 are also provided on only two opposite' sides of the coupling. It is apparent that a movement of the c-oupling to a position shown in FIGURE 5 causes the coupling projections to extend over the A- frame projectionswhereas when the coupling is rotated 90 as indicated by the broken lines in `FIGURE 5, the

coupling is free to reciprocate between the projections 180 and 132 of the A-frame. Rotation of the coupling may be accomplished by a spanner wrench or other suitable means. This provision for locking the coupling as described fixes the location of the mechanism so that piston installation, inspection and alignment and servicing can be readily performed.

A further feature of the invention is in the provision of the water cooling chamber 138 in the A-frame. Past experience has shown that in the course of operating die casting apparatus of the hot chamber type heat from the molten metal is conducted upwardly along the piston 82, the connector 100 and the connecting rod 98 of the hydraulic cylinder 101 with the result that the packing (not shown) which seals the hydraulic fluid about the connecting rod 98 deteriorates rapidly. To avoid this condition a' relatively large chamber 138 is provided in the A-frame through which cooling water is circulated. This chamber surrounds the connecting rod 98 and abuts the base of the hydraulic cylinder 101 which contains the packing referred to whereby the hydraulic cylinder connecting rod 98 and the packing are cooled to prevent overheating and consequent deterioration of the packing. The water chamber 138 is provided with a seal in the lower portion thereof about the rod 98 which consists of an annular ring 140 bolted to the A-frame having a cylindrical recess containing a plurality of packing rings 142 held in place bya retainer 144 bolted to the annular member 146. Although the water cooling gland 138 is shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 3 to be formed integrally with the A-frame 60, this gland may desirably be in the form of a bucket cartridge 146 which is inserted in an opening 148 at the top of the frame 6l) and suspended by a suitable flange 150 bolted to the hydraulic cylinder 101. The base of the cartridge includes the seal consisting of the ring 140, the packing rings 142 and the retainer 144. The cooling water is then pumped into and out of the cartridge through suitable conduits 152 and 154 provided for this purpose. This cartridge arrangement has the advantage of being removable as an assembly from the top of the A-frame for the installation of new packing rings 142 and eliminates the necessity of a workman being required to perform this workover the top of the heated melting pot.

While the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a die casting machine the combination of a base, a stationary die support member secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, first and second spaced support rods fixed to said support member and extending horizontally therefrom, a yoke member spaced from said support member extending between said rods and having portions secured to each of said rods, a frame member having first and second spaced openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first and second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinally movable thereon between said support and said yoke member, a pressure chamber and gooseneck unit secured to said frame intermediate said rods, the first of said rods snugly engaging said first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally disposed fiat portions on opposite sides thereof, said frame having vertically aligned horizontal bearing means in said second opening engaging only said flat portions and holding said frame in a horizontal plane, said second opening being of a greater width than said second rod intermediate the flat portions thereof whereby said second rod is capable of independent lateral movement with respect to said first rod, and a thrust means adjustably supported by said yoke member intermediate said rods yieldably engaging and urging said frame toward said support.

2. In a die casting machine the combination of a base, a stationary die support member secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, first and second spaced support rods fixed to said support member and extending horizontally therefrom, a yoke member spaced from said support member extending between said rods and having portions secured to each of said rods, a frame member having first and second spaced openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first and second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinallyV movable thereon between said support and said yoke member, a pressure chamber and gooseneck unit secured to said frame intermediate said rods, thefirst of said rods snugly engaging said first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally disposed fiat portions on opposite sides thereof, said frame having verticallyv aligned horizontal bear-ings means inv said second opening engaging only said fiat portions and holding said frame in a horizontal plane, said second opening intermediate said bearing means being partially cylindricahsaid second rod intermediate said fiat portions being partially cylindrical, said cylindrical portions of said sec-ond opening beingof greater diameter than the cylindrical portions of Said rod whereby said second rod is capable of independent lateral movement with respect to said first rod and a thrust means adj'ustably supported by said yoke member intermediate said rods yieldably engaging and urging'said frame toward said support.

3. A support mechanism for holding'machine elements in aligned engagement with one another comprising a stationary support, spaced first and second support rods secured to said support extending perpendicularly therefrom, a yoke member spaced from said support extending between said rods and having portions thereof secured to each of said rods, a frame member having first and second openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first and second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinally movable thereon, the first of said rods snugly engaging said first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally lying fiat portions on opposite sides thereof, and horizontal bearing means in said second opening engaging only said flat portions, said second opening being of greater width than said second rod intermediate said fiat portions, said second rod being capable of independent lateral flexural movement with respect to said first rod and said rods holding said frame in a horizontal plane while permitting limited lateral flexural movement thereof.

4. A support mechanism for holding machine elements in aligned engagement with one another comprising a stationary support, spaced first and second support rods secured to said support extending perpendicularly therefrom, a yoke member spaced from said support extending between said rods and having portions thereof secured to each of said rods, a frame member having first and second openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first and second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinally movable thereon, the first of said rods snugly engaging said first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally disposed fiat portions on opposite sides thereof, said frame having vertically aligned horizontal bearing means in said second opening engaging only said flat portions and holding said frame in a horizontal plane, said second opening being of a greater width than said second rod intermediate the fiat portions thereof whereby said second rod is capable of independent lateral flexural movement with respect to said first rod, and a thrust means adjustably supported by Vsaid yoke member intermediate said rods yieldably engaging and urging said frame toward said support.

5. The die casting machine of claim 2 wherein said thrust means includes a compression spring for yieldably engaging said frame toward said support.

6. In a die casting machine the combination of a base, a stationary die support member secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a cover die attached to one side of said support, first and second spaced support rods xed to the other side of said support member and extending horizontally therefrom, a yoke member spaced from said support member extending between said rods and having portions secured to each of said rods, a frame member having first and vsecond spaced openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first and second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinally movable thereon between said support and said yoke member, a pressure chamber and a gooseneck unit se` cured to said frame intermediate said rods, a nozzle extending between the mouth of said gooseneck and said cover die, the first of said rods snugly engaging Vsaid first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally disposed flat portions on opposite sides thereof, y

said frame having vertically aligned horizontal bearing means in said second opening engaging only said fiat portions and holding said frame in a horizontal plane, said second opening intermediate said bearing means being partially cylindrical and said second rod intermediate said fiat portions being partially cylindrical, said cylindrical portions of said second opening being of greater diameter than the cylindrical portions of said rod whereby said second rod is capable of independent lateral movement with respect to said first rod and a thrust means including a compression spring adjustably supported by said yoke member intermediate said 'rods yieldably engaging and urging said frame toward said support, said thrust means, the mouth of said gooseneck and said nozzle4 being aligned along an axis.

f7. In a die casting machine the combination of a base, a stationary die support member secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a cover die attached to one side of said support, first and second spaced support rods fixed to said support member on the opposite side thereof and extending horizontally therefrom, a -yoke member spaced from said support member extending between said rods and having portions secured to each of ksaid rods, a frame member having rst and second spaced openings therethrough mounted on said rods so that said first Iand second rods extend through said first and second openings respectively and are slidable with respect thereto whereby said frame is supported on said rods and is longitudinally movable thereon between said support and said yoke member, a pressure chamber and gooseneck unit secured to said frame intermediate said rods, a nozzle in communication with the mouth of said gooseneck and Asaid cover die, Vthe rst of said rods snugly engaging said first opening, said second rod having vertically aligned horizontally disposed flat portions on opposite sides thereof, said frame having vertically aligned horizontal bearing means in said second opening engaging only said-flat portions and holding said frame in a horizontalplane, said second opening being of a greater width than said second rod intermediate the flat portions thereof whereby said second rod is capable of independent lateral movement with respect to said first rod, and a thrust-means including a compression spring adjustably supported .by said yoke memberintermediate said rods yieldably engaging and urging said frame toward said support along an axis, said nozzle and gooseneck being -aligned with said axis.

8. In a die casting machine :the combination of a base, a stationary die support member rigidly secured to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a vertically disposed frame member having a vertically disposed opening therethrough and being associated with but spaced from said stationary die support supporting a pressure chamber and gooseneck unit, hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said frame member, a vertically operable piston disposed in said pressure chamber, rod means connecting said piston with said hydraulic cylinder through said lopening and a removable fluid cooling chamber suspendedy within said opening adjacent said hydraulic cylinder and disposed about said rod means between said hydraulic cylinder means and'said piston, said cooling chamber being in the form of a bucket cartridge-having a horizontally extending flange at the'top thereof, said flange engaging said frame'mernber adjacent said hydraulic cylinder whereby said cartridge is supported in said frame by-said flange and is vertically removable from said frame when said hydraulic means is removed from said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1,259,947 3/1918 Wood 22-70 1,764,761 6/ 1930 Spreen 248-68 1,810,126` 6/ 1931 Buchholz. f 1,813,911 7/1931 Cinquini 248-298 1,922,937 8/1933 Eckert 22-68 2,143,739 1/1939 McCabe 248-26 2,21 1,8918 V8/1940 Knoth 508-3 2,218,195 10/1940 Garrett 22-110 2,233,254 2/ 1941 Thilenius 22-68 2,334,372 11/1943 Abbott et al. 22-68 2,485,526 10/ 1949 Bennett 22-70 2,756,953 7/ 1956 Button et al. 248-26 XR 2,830,752 4/ 1958 Wentling 248-26 XR 2,869,177 1/1959 Gurgeleit 18-17 3,009,218 11/1961 Rearwin 22-68 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiners. 

3. A SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR HOLDING MACHINE ELEMENTS IN ALIGNED ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER COMPRISING A STATIONARY SUPPORT, SPACED FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT RODS SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY THEREFROM, A YOKE MEMBER SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID RODS AND HAVING PORTIONS THEREOF SECURED TO EACH OF SAID RODS, A FRAME MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS THERETHROUGH MOUNTED ON SAID RODS SO THAT SAID FIRST AND SECOND RODS EXTEND THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS RESPECTIVELY AND ARE SLIDABLE WITH RESPECT THERETO WHEREBY SAID FRAME IS SUPPORTED ON SAID RODS AND IS LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE THEREON, THE FIRST OF SAID RODS SNUGLY ENGAGING SAID FIRST OPENING, SAID SECOND ROD HAVING VERTICALLY ALIGNED HORIZONTALLY LYING FLAT PORTIONS ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, AND HORIZONTAL BEARING MEANS IN SAID SECOND OPENING ENGAGING ONLY SAID FLAT PORTIONS, SAID SECOND OPENING BEING OF GREATER WIDTH THAN SAID SECOND ROD INTERMEDIATE SAID FLAT PORTIONS, SAID SECOND ROD BEING CAPABLE OF INDEPENDENT LATERAL FLEXURAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST ROD AND SAID RODS HOLDING SAID FRAME IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE WHILE PERMITTING LIMITED LATERAL FLEXURAL MOVEMENT THEREOF.
 8. IN A DIE CASTING MACHINE THE COMBINATION OF A BASE, A STATIONARY DIE SUPPORT MEMBER RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID BASE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRAME MEMBER HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED OPENING THERETHROUGH AND BEING ASSOCIATED WITH BUT SPACED FROM SAID STATIONARY DIE SUPPORT SUPPORTING A PRESSURE CHAMBER AND GOOSENECK UNIT, HYDRAULIC CYLINDER MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEMBER, A VERTICALLY OPERABLE PISTON DISPOSED IN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, ROD MEANS CONNECTING SAID PISTON WITH SAID HYDRUALIC CYLINDER THROUGH SAID OPENING AND A REMOVABLE FLUID COOLING CHAMBER SUSPENDED WITHIN SAID OPENING ADJACENT SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND DISPOSED ABOUT SAID ROD MEANS BETWEEN SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER MEANS AND SAID PISTON, SAID COOLING CHAMBER BEING IN THE FORM OF A BUCKET CARTRIDGE HAVING A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FLANGE AT THE TOP THEREOF, SAID FLANGE ENGAGING SAID FRAME MEMBER ADJACENT SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER WHEREBY SAID CARTRIDGE IS SUPPORTED IN SAID FRAME BY SAID FLANGE AND IS VERTICALLY REMOVABLE FROM SAID FRAME WHEN SAID HYDRUALIC MEANS IS REMOVED FROM SAID FRAME. 